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NZ Rugby World column, September 2007
11:15pm at night, 19 degrees centigrade and we're in the middle of the town square in the Medieval village of Montpellier. John Daniell, who locked for Wellington in the early 90's, has just retired after a decade with Montpellier, Perpignan, and Racing club de Paris. He's making his way as a journalist and has been writing for L'Equipe in France. He's just published a book in New Zealand called Inside French Rugby - Confessions of a Kiwi Mercenary, which is a must read as it talks about the philosophy of the new professional game (John went to Oxford and can't help himself!) linked in with the real, authentic day-to-day grind of earning a crust in professional French rugby. He describes the inter-town rivalries, the important of playing for "Le Clocher" (why French teams cannot lose at home) and really takes us behind the scenes in the most truthful look at rugby I've seen for ages. Check out the story on how Daniel Herbert was screwed by his club's owners. Also, with us are Spiro Zavos and wife Judy. Spiro is a rugby legend, and also just written a new book How to Watch the Rugby World Cup, and had us all in stitches telling us stories about Peter Bush traveling back from Cardiff after a test match and developing his pictures in his own dark room, i.e. the blacked out lavatory in the Cardiff to London Express. Much to the enragement of the rest of the train's passengers who were agog at how long it took Bushy to empty his bladder (4 hours). Bill Middleton, a passionate, rugby loving Kiwi who is on the US Board with me was also with us. And the 5 of us sat there drinking great red wine from the local Languedoc Region, eating steak tartar and relishing Rugby World Cup 2007. France has got behind this beautifully despite the trauma of the opening defeat versus Argentina. The crowds are turning up, supporting the All Blacks and the minnows, and anyone who is playing against England. The bands are playing, the crowds are singing and the red wine is flowing. What a great festival. I've been in Paris, Lille and Montpellier and the atmosphere was great even in a non rugby town like Lille. I've been pretty pleased with the two All Black performances against
Italy and Portugal where discipline, accuracy, structure and common sense
prevailed. I've been heartened by the USA's performance against England
where we were beaten 28-10 but in reality finished stronger than the self
labeled world champions and under Peter Thorburn's excellent mentoring put
up a disciplined, committed performance. We wanted to build on that
against Tonga but 2 games in 4 days were too much for our largely amateur
squad. Whilst we were able to focus strongly against England, we were off
color in the first 10 minutes against Tonga where we shipped 10 points
which turned the game. We came back strongly and threatened to win - but
the Tongans edged it with a display of blistering pace, imagination and
bravado. Good on 'em! |
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Scheduling a World Cup can be no easy matter but certainly it seems the Tier
One Nations got a pretty good draw and for Tier Two teams we're at the
bottom of the totem pole. 2 games in 4 days and then almost a 2-week layoff
for the USA doesn't build momentum.
I'd never been to Lille before and it's a pretty interesting old town. Feels more Belgian than French and the Town Square was jumping with 38,000 English fans climbing in to some liquid refreshment after a dull, unimaginative, miserable performance. 8 of my mates from school rugby days came down for the game and we spent a pretty good 4 hours reminiscing about the old times after the game. Rugby has an international fraternity and brotherhood forged on blood and respect unlike no other sport and it really is one of the core values we will try to introduce Americans to. I've been very impressed by some great performances of the Tier Two Nations; the USA versus England, Namibia versus Ireland, Romania versus Italy, Georgia and Japan have all turned in dogged, committed performances against Tier One rivals. I think it would be totally counter productive to move to a 16 team tournament in New Zealand. The only way we'll turn this great game into a truly global game is by encouraging the Tier Two Nations from an investment point of view and from a competition perspective. Argentina and Italy have both benefited from this and I'm convinced that the USA and Georgia could do the same with the right amount of backing and with more games. The current international schedule doesn't allow for this and reducing the World Cup could be the final nail in the game's development. I'd even go as far to say that in future World Cup's there should be a simultaneous Plate tournament run in the back half of the competition. This works well in 7's and could work very well for the smaller nations who lose out in the group phase. The fans would be able to book trips with certainty of seeing more games, the players are already committed, fit and focused, and I think there would be more profit to be made for the organizers in a strong play competition. A Plate final between the USA and Samoa or Japan and Georgia would be of more interest to all concerned than the crazy 3rd and 4th place match played on the Friday before the Final. One final thought, I've been very unimpressed with the citing procedures. Paul Emerick, our best player, was suspended for 5 weeks following a tackle which Jonathan Kaplan yellow-carded and which the recipient Olly Barclay testified was not malicious, Schalk Burger and Phil Vickery, the English captain, escaped with 2 week suspensions for much more serious offenses. It seems again there's one rule for the big guys and one rule for the small. This having been said, I'm writing this as I watch Australia play Wales in Cardiff and I'm rubbing my hands in anticipation of the great rugby to come. New Zealand are playing dynamic, pacey, skillful rugby; the South Africans look very dangerous having added penetration out wide through Habana and the mid field backs to a fantastic back row and very tough tight 5. (I sat with Eddie Jones at the England vs USA game and there is no doubt he has added terrific structure and vitality to the South African backs. Watch Jake White and him talking during the game. White treats him as a friend, an equal and a leader. Their mutual trust is staggering particularly when you think of the way South African cultures have traditionally been isolated in the past. If the Springboks go all the way, Eddie Jones will take a lot of the credit.) Tonga and Fiji have both delighted . . . and Samoa could still upset England. I've been unimpressed with the Northern Hemisphere sides; England have
been just plain awful, Ireland are overrated and over the hill, and France I
believe have been over coached and have not been able to absorb the home
team favorite pressure. That leaves Australia. Durable, tough, committed and
always hard to beat. Everybody here raves about O'Driscoll but how many
times do you see Mortlock under deliver? We deserve to win it but there's
going to be a few other good sides to get past before Richie lifts that
trophy on October 20. |
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